Snapshot Moment
by Nkiseki
Summary: AU Attraction only takes a moment to happen. Falling in love, however, requires thinking and on the occasion, a phone and alcohol. In which Sasuke was not happy when a pale eyed Japanese girl showed up at his apartment and shoved a mobile in his face.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** First of all, it is most important to note that Sasuke's very biased opinions do not represent my own. Second, I shall instert character disclaimers here. Third, I apologize for the OOCness, but my intention wasn't to keep them in character as much as tell a story. I started this about a year and a half ago, and I never got around to finishing it. Well, I finally looked at it again, and decided I was mostly done, I just needed a conclusion, so as a late holiday gift I present, _Snapshot Moment_. I've broken this into three installments of approximately 3000 words each. Posted approximately a week from each other. Here's part one; enjoy.

* * *

**AU:** Attraction only takes a moment to happen, most of the time, you don't even notice it. Falling in love, however, requires thinking and alcohol. In which Sasuke was not happy that a pale eyed Japanese girl showed up at his apartment and shoved a mobile in his face. 

"Naruto-kun, I got the scholarship," Hinata exclaimed into her cordless phone as she scanned and rescanned the letter to make certain that her eyes weren't deceiving her. Maybe she needed new glasses? But unless she misread the words 'congratulations, Hyuuga Hinata,' several times, she was going celebrate by telling every person she knew.

"That's great, Hinata-chan. When will you go to America?"

"In two months," Hinata bubbled into the phone before she fell onto her couch and laid the piece of paper on her coffee table, which was really the only table she had in her little apartment aside from her desk. "I'm so excited!"

"You're going to study at the Academy of Arts right? You know what, you should meet my friend! It'd be great! He lives in there, you know. His name is Uchiha Sasuke."

Really, that's how the story began. A few months prior to that phone call, Hinata told Naruto that she applied to a photography scholarship in the United States. She was supposed to spend a month learning from a teacher at the Academy of Arts, and really, Hinata waited for such an opportunity for a very long time. Some chance to just leave Japan for a while, and change a bit of herself.

**Snapshot Moment  
Part: 01/03  
By: Naito Kiseki**

It was eight in the evening when Sasuke's phone decided to ring. It wasn't that he was too tired to answer the phone, but rather the fact that the phone never brought any good news. That was why he never contracted himself to the technology of evil known as mobile phones. The blasted things were just asking for the owners to be constantly bothered.

Aside from the fact that Sasuke didn't like phones, the last time he'd answer the evil machine it was that annoying guy who worked with him at the firm, bowl-cut guy. Sasuke hated that guy; he was always bothering him with his cheery 'good mornings' and 'have a good nights.' One would think the latter got the hint after the first hundred times that Sasuke gritted and/or hissed the greeting in return. Sasuke learned from that mistake of answering the phone; he remembered all too well the pain he suffered the last time, and swore that he was never going to live through another nightmare like that one.

Answering the phone was a bad idea. All Sasuke wanted was to eat his peanut butter and banana sandwich in peace.

That was why he bought an answering machine with caller ID. Since he owned such a machine, he was going to sit back and let it do its job. Not a moment later, the machine sprung to life and Sasuke heard his voice echoed on the machine, 'Leave a message and I _might_ get back to you.' The tone that followed just dared the caller to leave one. It only took a pause before the caller spoke.

"Uhm, H-hello. Erm- m-my name i-i-i-is Hinata Hyuuga. I... I'm sure Naruto's already contacted you... a-about m-meeting you during my s-s-stay in this c-city?" There was a pause, "Yes... uhm... I'd appreciate it if... if you'd g-get back to me and we... we can schedule a meeting? M-My phone number is xxx-xxxx. Thank you very much for your time, I... I hope to meet you soon."

Sasuke gawked in disbelief when he heard the click and his answering machine stop whirling. Of course, he thought nothing of it because if the caller did not get through to an actual person therefore nothing will happen. However, neither did the fates or people ever seem to like him very much, and he never would have thought that the next morning he would swear that he would behead Naruto the first chance he got.

-:-:-

Sasuke Uchiha was not a patient person, nor was he a morning person. Really, it wasn't as much as being patient or morning person as much as him not really being much of a people bothering people person. Even then, it was mostly Naruto who was the epitome of person bothering person. Sasuke half thought that were a club of those people exist, they would all strive to be the blond, but that was besides the point. At that moment, he disliked Naruto with a passion; on good days, he hated just about everyone. However, due to special circumstances Naruto was going to die a very slow and early death, the little twit.

Here Sasuke was having been woken on a Sunday, his day off mind you, at eight in the morning by some creepy Japanese girl (if her speech was any indication) with ghost-like eyes was standing at his door, Sasuke, with very persistent rings, surely abusing his doorbell and possibly door.

When Sasuke wrenched the door open, he tried his best to look angry and intimidating, but the sheepish Asian girl only muttered into her mobile, "Uhm, he opened the door. I don't really want to… He... he doesn't look very happy."

There was a pause and Sasuke was about the slam the door in her face, but the girl pushed the door wider and stepped inside before shoving her mobile into his hands and stared at the floor as if she were embarassed to be there. "He wants to talk to you."

It was all Sasuke could do to refrain from screaming bloody murder when he read Naruto's name on the screen of the phone. He settled for growling viciously into the object, but Naruto seemed unaffected, the tolerant asshole.

"Hiya, Sasuke! Hope I didn't wake you; if I did, what the hell are you still doing in bed?"

"What do you want?" Sasuke gritted, just with-holding himself from either crushing the poor phone in his hand, or smashing it against the wall so that it was easier to kill it.

"I keep missing you, and you never answer my calls!" And Sasuke scathingly muttered, "You think that's an accident?" But Naruto continued to whine as if he hadn't heard Sasuke. "I've been trying to get Hinata to bug you about it, but she didn't want to disturb you; since you never seemed to return her calls either, she thought you were busy. I just told her to continue bothering you until you caved and it looks like it worked."

"I'll kill you," Sasuke growled into the mouthpiece. He glanced at the girl to make sure he wasn't doing anything and was satisfied to find her settled at his table, staring into space. … Wait, no, he wasn't satisfied! He wanted her out of his apartment! "Naruto, you sneaky little bastard…"

-:-:-

Sasuke was far from pleased. In fact, he was so un-pleased that he decided that indulging himself in a rather unhealthy breakfast would solve his problems; if not all his problems, like the irritating girl sitting at his table, he would at least be more awake.

"She's my girlfriend. Take care of her, he says; I'll kill you, he says," Sasuke mocked his so-call friend's voice as he narrowed his eyes at the cellular phone. He tossed the phone to the girl who looked apologetic, and... was that amusement? She was not supposed to be amused. She was supposed to be miserable like he was. But he didn't have the will to yell anymore, so he ignored the fact that there was a cute but annoying girl in his kitchen.

Rummaging through his cabinets, he found a box of Special K and pulled it out before looking into his refrigerator. Finding a half empty half-gallon carton of milk, he poured it into his bowl; his other hand idly turning on his coffee machine and pouring a large glass of water into the machine. Finding the sugar, he proceeded to pour spoon after spoon of sugar in his food. And then he heard a nervous and nettling giggle.

Glaring at the producer of the offending noise, Sasuke hissed, "I thought you'd left." The pleasant smell of his drugged coffee wafted through the air as Sasuke deadpanned. "What do you want from me? Haven't you already ruined my Sunday?"

The stoic voice was probably the only reason she ceased her anxious chuckling.

"Mr. Uchiha; do... do you mind if I... uhm... call you Sasuke?" Not waiting for the protest because Sasuke was about to say that he did mind, the girl continued in a timid fashion, "I really... hate to bother you like this, but... but my professor was called out of the state due to... uhm an emergency, and I am uh... without a guide. I'm due to return to Japan in two weeks and I haven't... really... gotten pictures. I was... well, uhm, am... erm... hoping that you'd guide me." There was a moment's pause, and as if she finally remembered to introduce herself between the broken sentences she bowed her head. "E-excuse me... I... should've introduced myself... I'm... that is... to say... my name is Hinata Hyuuga. I'm a photographer in training."

Sasuke stared at her as if she'd grown another head. This was preposterous, and certainly not happening to him. No. Some Japanese girl did not just waltz through his door, into his kitchen and propose for him to take her around the city. If it was true, he was sure as hell going to deny it from existence. With that conclusion, he ignored her and continued to eat.

"Uhm… I can pay... pay for the expenses such as transportation; lunch and dinner, my treat?"

Sasuke gave her another look that made her wonder whether she should continue to ask, but she didn't really have much of an alternative except for wandering around the city herself. Not that she was incapable mind you; just that it was a city, and wandering to unknown locations sometimes gets you into trouble that you'd really didn't want to face in the first place. Similar to talking to strangers, barging into their homes, and giving unreasonable demands that you probably knew they were going to agree to however reluctant.

"I mean, you-- you don't have to help me if you don't want to... b-but I'd really appreciate it if... if you would? Still, you're not o-obligated to help me. I feel terrible about waking you… It's just, I don't really know anyone else in this city so…"

"Fine," Sasuke relented. Really, it was just to get her to stop talking. He hated the fact that he always, somehow, ended up helping people, even when he didn't want to do it in the first place. Pouring a cup of coffee, Sasuke let it cool on the table before telling her to not touch anything as he went to change.

When he emerged from his room in jeans and a T-shirt, he gulped the cup of black coffee and placed it in the sink with the empty bowl. Turning the faucet on, he quickly washed the dishes and put them in the drainer. Thinking it would be best to take the bus instead of attempting to find parking around the city, Sasuke went back to his room and grabbed his wallet, keys, and jacket.

"Let's go." Sasuke told her, stepping into his shoes at the entrance. He hadn't noticed earlier, but she'd brought a rather large bag, probably contained her camera or something. And thus they began a day of typical touring and random taking of photos, what fun…

He really detested Naruto.

-:-:-

The duo ventured to a rather slummish district that was rather desolate except for the cars, and the occasional hobo. And let us not forget the small groups of gangsters that loitered every few corners, but really that was it. Sasuke would've smirked if it weren't for the fact that the girl followed him so closely that she practically stepped on the heels of his shoes with every stride she took.

"Stop stepping on me," Sasuke gritted, glaring at the girl over his shoulder.

"S-sorry," she stuttered, glancing at their surroundings. She looked like she was about to break her camera gripping it so tightly. She allowed a little more space between them, but continued to walk as closely as she deemed appropriate. Or enough so that he stopped glaring at her.

"Hey, Sweetie," Sasuke heard a rough voice disrupt the silence between them. Walking by a man with a dirty graying beard, dressed in a worn trench coat and jeans, Sasuke thought it better to ignore the creepy man who was probably a pervet anyway.

"Hello," he heard the girl squeak from behind him.

Sasuke wanted to smack himself. Turning to the girl, he pulled her by the sleeves and quickly began to walk away from the suspicious man. Of course he caught the anxious grin on her face; she looked close to falling into cardiac arrest.

Finding the entrance to the subway, Sasuke lead her down the stairs, and not until he'd paid for their transfer and had her safely inside the waiting area did he let her go. She looked bewildered and slightly nervous, staring around the tunnels.

"What did you think you were doing?" He asked her icily, having reverted to Japanese so she understood his reprimand better. She avoided his gaze and stared into the floor, as if finding the stepped-on gum very fascinating. "You grew up in Japan, you should know that there are a lot of strange people who loiter streets like that. You're never supposed to talk to them. Did you want that pervert to follow you, possibly rape you?"

"N-n-no," Hinata stuttered as she brought the camera to her face to hide herself. "I… It was an automatic response. I'm…. sorry."

"What are you, stupid? What the hell were you even thinking? Control yourself. Better yet, don't say anything for the rest of the day," Sasuke yelled, attracting the stares of a few people who quickly pretended they weren't listening. Of course, it was not like many of them understood Japanese anyway.

There was the click of shutters before the voice speaker announced the M-line arrived. Sasuke took a deep breath and tapped his foot while he waiting for a small group to exit the train before taking Hinata's hand and stepping into the crowd on the train.

He could barely shove people away before he found a small, but adequate spot to stand. Pushing the girl to hold the metal bar, Sasuke leaned against the door that wouldn't open for the rest of the bus route and quickly surveyed his surroundings.

If there was one thing he hated more than Naruto was probably crowds. Damn Muni and the environmentally aware citizens. You would think people with cars would be a little more sympathetic towards Sasuke and drove to wherever the hell they were going, but really he was being hypocritical. He had a car; he just hated parking.

Scrutinizing the frightened girl, Sasuke looked away and tried to ignore her. She was really irritating, and she was not pressed against his side, trying to keep her balance with help from the pole. Nope; she wasn't silently flitting like a bird over her bag next to him, and she did not smell nice and soapy in the mass of disgusting body odor. And quite obviously, Sasuke was not thinking of her at all.

-:-:-

Sasuke frowned, trying to concentrate on _Catcher in the Rye_. Unfortunately, even Holden's supremely messed up head didn't keep his attention as he couldn't help but glance at the photo thrown onto his coffee table. Hinata had delivered it in his mailbox earlier, attached with a note: _Smile more. You're attractive._

To say that Sasuke was surprised to find the note was a complete understatement. Hell, he hadn't even realized that she took a picture of him; not that it was bad. It was a tad creepy, almost stalker-like. Except he knew that she was a professional, so she probably knew how to stealthily take photographs. And Sasuke admitted, the photo wasn't half-bad.

He recognized the grass setting from the park when a black retriever ran up to him with a Frisbee. He'd thrown it, and played with it while Hinata did whatever the hell it was that photographers did. Apparently, she'd taken a picture of him, smiling when the dog returned the Frisbee. Wait... that wasn't correct because Sasuke didn't smile, he smirked, a small half smirk thing that didn't resemble a smile at all. It wasn't detectable, not really.

Not realizing what he was doing, he'd closed his book and picked up his phone. When he realized what was happening, it was already too late, and he'd punched her phone number; he didn't even question how he remembered her phone number. Eyes widening at his stupidity, Sasuke slammed the cordless phone down on its stand and stared in horror at the offending machine.

"Fuck. What the hell was I about to do?" Sasuke berated himself glaring at the hand that seemingly acted without his consent. Looking at the clock, he noted that it was 11:30 and he was due to bed in half an hour; coupled with having worked the whole day he came to one logical conclusion. "I'm sleep deprived."

Putting the book on his table, Sasuke stood and stretched making his way to his bedroom. Wrapped, in the warm silk blankets, Sasuke closed his eyes and prepared for sheep counting to sleep. It really didn't take long before he was barely coherent.

And then the phone rang jolting him awake. Reaching for the phone on his tableside, Sasuke hissed a scathing, "What the hell?"

"H-hello, Sasuke? You... called earlier? I'm sorry, I was... kind of... uhm... busy. Did you need something?"

"How…" Sasuke was about to asked how she knew he called before he realized that she must've used caller ID; damnable technology. "I dialed the wrong number."

"Oh. Sorry for waking you then."

There was a long pause… "Are you busy tomorrow evening?"

"Uhm… N-not in particular."

"Will you join me for dinner?" Sasuke's wanted to hit himself for even asking. His fuzzy mind was in a crazed state right now and seemed to ignore all his protestations of suggesting more activities that required human interaction.

There was a brief moment where she paused and Sasuke was hoping to any higher form of power that she would say no. "Uhm... okay?"

"I'll meet you at the Cheesecake Factory at seven. It's on the highest level at the Macy's across from Union Square." His mouth was on complete autopilot because although his mind telling, screaming at himself to shut up, it didn't seem to work. He had do say something, because it would sound like he was asking her to go on a not-date, dinner thing for no reason.

"I just want to see some of your work." And Sasuke mentally sighed in relief at having saved himself for not having a real excuse to meet her. It was not a date. She was dating his best friend for Christ's sake.

"I'll... erm... I'll bring my portfolio then. D-do I need to dress in... uhm... formal attire?"

"Semi-formal is fine." Sasuke was in absolute disbelief that he was even having this conversation… on a destestable phone no less!

"Okay. I'll... I'll see you then... I suppose. Uhm... G-good night."

"Bye," Sasuke said, hanging up. It took a full minute before he'd realize what he'd done and promptly began panicking. He knew he was not going to get a good nights' sleep.

**End Part 01**


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Again, Sasuke's opinions do not represent my own. Part three is close to being done so I should have it up next week. And that's it. Enjoy.

* * *

Snapshot Moment  
Part 02/03  
by: Naito Kiseki

Mind and body moving at snail speed, Sasuke stepped out of the elevator to hell and ambled through reception to the big room with the twenty or so cubicles. The moment, he got to his desk, he immediately sat and dropped his head on to the desktop. The shadows under his eyes were evidence of his three hours of sleep, goddamn phones and their caller ids.

_Maybe_, he thought, _I can kill myself before work is over_. A moment's thinking made him realize that a woman was a stupid reason for suicide. Sasuke shook his head and proceeded to repeatedly bang his head on the table. A concussion, maybe a coma would be a better idea.

"Good morning, Sasuke!"

"Leave me alone," Sasuke gritted, hitting his head on the table after each word. He knew who it was, that guy who always wore those green dress shirts and ties with the hair. Sasuke hated that guy; he really didn't want or need to deal with him this morning.

"What's with the gloominess?" He heard the bowl-cut guy say. The cheer in his voice was absolutely despicable and gave Sasuke a worst headache than the head banging. "Are you okay, Sasuke?"

"Just peachy."

"Uhm… May I ask why you're hitting your head against the table?"

"I'm trying to block out all idiocy in existence. Apparently," Sasuke glared at the bowl-cut guy. "It's not working."

"Do you know what would cheer you up?" Bowl-cut guy asked, and really it wasn't even a question because he completely ignored Sasuke's 'no,' and gave his suggestion anyway. "Some of us are getting together after work and going for drinks. It's going to be fun; we'll bask in the springs of youth, as my mentor would say. You should come."

"No."

"Come on, Sasuke. It'll be great." The guy's voice was starting to become a whine now. Why was he so irritating? "You never hang out with us, ever. You never go to company parties or anything. You want to be friends with everyone don't you?"

"Did I say, 'no?'" Sasuke asked performing an exaggerated expression of being affronted. "I meant to say, hell no."

"But Temari will be there, and Kiba, and Tenten! Kankurou from the fifth floor is coming too. You should come! You don't have other plans for the evening."

"You know, that sounds fine and dandy, but I in fact do have plans."

"You're not going to sit at home eating PB and Js alone, are you?"

"No," Sasuke snapped, not liking the encouraging smile on Bowl-cut guy's face, though that was his plan for the next ten years. "I have a life that does not revolve around home and work."

"Date?"

Sasuke would've screamed at him if it weren't sort of, almost true. Though technically, it wasn't even true for two reasons. The first being that Sasuke Uchiha most certainly did not date because it was a waste of perfectly good time that could be better spent plotting the demise of a certain blond friend who deserved nothing more than a really good beating. The second reason being that the person that he would accompany for the evening was already in an intimate relationship with the formerly mentioned blond friend.

"No, I-"

"Then come!"

Sasuke sighed, thinking. A non-date with his friend's girlfriend, or drinking himself stupid to forget the humiliation of even inviting said friend's girlfriend on a non-date with a bunch of people he did not like. Which was the lesser evil? But there _was_ option 'c' which involved neither of the first two options, and it wouldn't take much to pull it off.

"Fine," Sasuke relented.

"Great! I'll get you after work then!" And then Bowl-cut guy walked away, waving happily… a little too happily.

Staring intensely at the top of his desk, Sasuke came to the only reasonable solution and began to bang his head again. Maybe it wasn't too late for the comatose thing.

-:-:-

There comes a time in every man's life where he either goes for it or not, thus disgracing himself forever. People thought that Sasuke Uchiha was a ladies man of the best sort, well bred, a gentleman, and fairly attractive. None of that was true of course, with the exception of the 'well bred' part; even then, Sasuke would deny teeth and blood.

Fortunately, Sasuke was the sort of person who was fairly blasé about everything and could do things fairly easily and without a second thought as to sparing someone's feelings; he never regretted things he did before and he definitely wasn't starting now.

"Something came up." Sasuke could almost hear the 'hah' in his tone that following that sentence. He knew he sounded cocky but he'd gotten out of that non-date with her; that made everything in his world look better.

"Oh, did-did something happen?" she asked, and he wanted to curse her for sounding concerned, because that would make lying just a little difficult.

"One of my co-workers' birthday," Sasuke answered, wanting to gag at having to call his co-slaves of society 'co-workers.' "It completely slipped my mind."

"I-I guess we'll have to cancel our... our dinner plans then," she sighed into the phone, and Sasuke bit back the 'yes!' on the tip of his tongue.

"Sorry," Sasuke smirked into the phone.

"N-no... It's fine... uhm.. maybe another time."

"Right." Sasuke glanced at the little clock on the corner of his computer monitor and realized that it was time for his lunch break. "Well, I have to get back to work."

"Bye," he heard her say before dropping the phone back in its cradle. He gave a slow grin at accomplishing his mission before he stood to go to lunch, whistling a merry little tune.

-:-:-

There was a plan, a perfect plan. The plan was supposed to involve Sasuke ditching both outings, and going home to eat microwave dinner. The plan was infallible. What the hell happened and why was he here, sitting at this noisy and loud pub during happy hour with these people he did not like?

Sulking, Sasuke swallowed his second shot of vodka and glared at the bowl-cut guy who was apparently waiting to meet with someone or another. Really, Sasuke didn't give a damn. But he wasn't the one paying for the drinks; bowl-cut guy said he'd pay.

There was the blonde woman who was yelling at the blonde man who was yelling back with the same sort of vigor. All the while, the bowl-cut guy was trying to calm both of them down yet supporting their arguments as 'wonderful sibling love' or some other load of crap while the tattooed one was drinking all the alcohol. The only one who was remotely tolerable in this group was the Chinese girl, and that's because she mostly kept quiet in her seat as she munched a basket of French Fries (yes, French Fries, not Freedom fries or whatever the hell you wanted to call them).

Sasuke watched, sending a glare to everyone occasionally when some girl with pink dyed hair walked up to their table, smiling.

"Lee!"

"Sakura," the bowl-cut guy broke from his mediating preaching to greet the pink-hair waitress. "Hi. How're you doing? Let me introduce you to my co-workers. That's Temari," he said, pointing at the female blonde with the bushy hair who nodded. "And her brother Kankuro." The other blond gave her a wink before he returned to his conversation with the woman. "That's Tenten." The Chinese girl smiled and nodded at the pink haired woman. "And Kiba's the one holding the bottle." The tattooed guy smirked at Pinkie and then poured more alcohol. "This sulking brooder right here is Sasuke."

"Nice to meet you," Pinkie chirped. Sasuke could've listened more attentively had her blinding pink hair not distracted him (not that he would've paid attention regardless). He hated people who colored their hair like that. It made her look like a tart. "I'm Sakura. Is there anything I can get for you? More alcohol?"

"Sure. More vodka, guys? Or maybe something different?" Bowl-cut guy asked.

The Chinese girl giggled as she waved a hand at the table, "I think we should finish what we have before we get something else; I think Sasuke looks a little drunk. Though I'd like another basket of fries."

"Not drunk. Who the hell gets drunk off two shots of vodka?" He muttered as he took the small bottle that barely had enough for two more glasses. It looks as if the guy with the tattoo drank most of it, inconsiderate asshole.

"I'll bring some buffalo wings too," Pinkie told them as she walked away to serve another group.

It took a moment before the Chinese girl said anything. "So, Lee, she's the one you've been talking about?"

"The one who's captured your attention?" The blond girl added, smirking.

Sasuke, of course, had no idea what was happening, so he just drank his alcohol and tried to forget that he was among people.

"She's kinda hot," Sasuke heard tattoo-guy say and restrained himself from snorting at that. "Right, Sasuke? Pink hair and all that; did you see her rack? Man, I'd like to show her a good time."

"That's all you ever think about, isn't it dog-boy?" The blond guy sneered as he pointed at the one with the tattoo. "Fucking people."

"Don't talk about Sakura that way," Bowl-cut guy scolded them. "She's a nice girl."

"Nice girls are kinky," Tattoo guy answered, and Sasuke realized that he really didn't need to hear the rest of this conversation while he was sober.

Standing, he muttered something about using the restroom and then headed for the bar, far away from the table where his co-workers' sat. The bar stools were more comfortable than the booths which really didn't make sense considering the booths had more cushioning. Somehow, Sasuke thought that perhaps, going on that non-date with Hinata -no, Naruto's girlfriend- would've been better than this loud and irritating insanity. Of course, Sasuke never makes bad choices, so he tried to convince himself that this was better than having an awkward dinner with Hina-Naruto's girlfriend.

"What'll it be, Mac?" The bartender asked him.

"Scotch on the rocks." Sasuke told him, needing something strong to numb whatever he was feeling. It was not regret, damn it. The barkeep pushed a glass to him and Sasuke sipped at it, letting the flavors meld in his mouth before swallowing.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Hinata. I'm off in another hour or so; we'll go to dinner then."

"Okay."

Sasuke looked up from his glass in disbelief when he saw Hina-Naruto's girlfriend waving Pinkie away. He knew the best course of action; pretend that he didn't see her.

"Hey."

Once again, Sasuke wondered what the hell he was doing. He hadn't even realized that he got up let alone walked over to her and opened his cursed mouth. Wasn't he supposed to be pretending she didn't exist? What happened to his plan?

"Sasuke? Uhm... What're you doing here?" Hinata asked surprised at the coincidence. Of course, she wasn't even half as surprised as Sasuke, not that he would ever admit that.

"Drinking," He told her, waving his glass in her face before he sat next to her, looking slightly surly. "You?" Why was he still talking pleasantries? He was Sasuke Uchiha, he didn't give a rat's ass about other people. When the hell did he learn small talk? Finding he didn't know, Sasuke blamed his parents.

"I'm waiting for... an aquaintaince to get off work," She answered thoughtfully, taking a sip of her… was that a smoothie? Sasuke squashed the thought of it being adorable, and drank the rest of his scotch. "You don't look comfortable… is the environment too much for you?"

Sasuke waved the bartender to refill his glass and stared at the woman... something was different about her. "I don't like people. I don't like being around people. And I don't like you."

Hinata frowned and then shrugged, "You don't even know me well enough to not like me."

Oh, she wasn't breaking her sentences apart... not stuttering... that was the difference... probably drank too much.

"You're Naruto's girlfriend," Sasuke stated, drinking from his newly filled glass. The woman flushed at the comment and sipped her drink; Sasuke couldn't tell whether it was a good flushing or not. "You're my best friend's girlfriend."

She was also the one who kept making him do things he didn't realize he was doing. She was the person that was annoying him to no end and he didn't really know why she nettled him so much. Also, she was the person who he kept thinking about with intended venom only to realize he can't completely stop thinking about her. But, Sasuke was not going to tell her that. That'd be an equally stupid and pointless action because there was nothing to tell.

So, Sasuke did what he did best; he brooded.

"And you're my boyfriend's best friend. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous," the young woman muttered, probably assuming that Sasuke didn't hear. Unfortunately for her, Sasuke's ability to hear hadn't been impeded with the drinks.

"I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous?" The brunet demanded wondering when did the girl get so close to him. Or did he get closer to her?

"Because you haven't seen Naruto in a long time... and you miss him ...and you don't even know if you know him anymore," she listed, almost as if she were reading him. Too bad she was completely off because Uchihas did not get jealous, especially when Naruto was the object for said jealousy.

"I do not get jealous," he growled, almost breathing on her. "And I do not think you're attractive."

There was a moment when he stared at her, feeling as if he could laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Sasuke realized that he was actually making conversation with someone who was not an acquaintance or a friend. Well, not the second part anyway.

"I'm... not attractive, I can... concede to that point. You're… still not a very pleasant person, Sasuke," she told him as she leaned away from him. When had he even gotten so close to her? "And you smell like you've bathed in alcohol. I'm beginning to think it's safe to assume you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk. I don't get drunk off two glasses of scotch." But then again, he had drunk a few shots of vodka earlier.

"Sasuke, you've refilled your glass five times in the last fifty minutes."

"Fifty minutes?" Confused, Sasuke tried to make out the numbers on the cheap clock behind the bar to find that he had trouble reading it. He could not have possibly have talked to this woman for more than twenty minutes. They barely had a whole conversation. "What time is it?"

"That clock says 7:40 but who says that clocks are always right?" She asked stirring her drink into liquid.

That made some sense... it also explained why Sasuke found himself feeling slightly queasy from the bright lighting and half-pondering where the closest bathroom was. It was almost eight. How the heck did he spend the last two hours of his life drinking at a restaurant-bar? Damn bowl-cut guy. Meeting Hi-Naruto's Gi- oh forget it, he could at least grow-up enough to call her by her name in his mind, Hinata in the building didn't really do anything but make him… socialize… ugh, that word was like poison.

"Fuck this; I should be at home making sandwiches for dinner," he reminded himself, nodding to no one in particular. He briefly thought it was slightly pathetic, going home alone to his sandwiches… Damn, he must've really been drunk if he thought being alone was pathetic when he loved it.

"Being alone isn't so pathetic... At least you admit you're... you're drunk though," Hinata's mouth was twisted in a strangely amused smile. Wait… did she just repeat what he thought?

"Did I just say that? Out loud?"

Appalled, Sasuke figured that he must've been really intoxicated if he was speaking his thoughts out loud… for her to hear. Crap, what if something that shouldn't slip out does? What would he do then? Okay, it was really time for him to go home and lock himself in his apartment where he knew it was safe to rant all he wanted without incriminating evidence. "I'm going home."

"Maybe I should ride back with you? Naruto did tell me that you get slightly violent when you two went drinking."

"I don't give a rat's ass about Naruto. I do not need his pretty little girlfriend to take me home like I'm some sort of invalid." He did not just call her pretty. He… oh screw it, Sasuke didn't care anymore, couldn't bring himself to do it. Thinking took too much energy.

"Are you... always this harpy or just when you're inebriated?" She asked, settling her glass on the counter for the barkeep to clean. Hinata pushed herself off the stool and left a tip under her glass.

"I'm not harpy. Women are harpy, and Naruto… and bowl-cut guy," Sasuke defended setting his glass on top of someone else's glass. Their problem now. Sasuke nodded the barkeep to bowl-cut guy. "He said he's paying for my drinks."

"I'll be right back," she murmured quietly before disappearing into the crowd. Sasuke thought it was the perfect opportunity to leave and save himself from looking like an ass. Unfortunately, she caught up to him as soon as he reached the door.

-:-:-

"I told you, I didn't need you to take me home. I'm not a girl," Sasuke hissed. He tried to find the right key to the gate using streetlight, only to give up and start randomly trying keys on the lock. "Fuck. Where's the lock?"

Having his keys wrenched from his grasp, well, not really, Hinata more of... eased them away from his hands, before searching for the fitting key. Meanwhile, Sasuke crouched by the floor, trying to not think because it hurt his head, trying to damn the entire world because everything was the world's fault, and mostly to stop that throbbing pain at his temple that made him want to retch.

Maybe that entire trying to put himself in a coma thing was a bad idea. Then again, it sounded really good right now, to be unconscious.

Upon hearing a click, Sasuke glanced at the brightly lit lobby and ambled toward the stairs with little difficulty. The concept of an elevator made him feel queasy at the moment.

"Wouldn't it be faster if we took the elevator?"

"Don't you think it's time for you to go back to wherever it is you came from?" Sasuke glared at the first steps, trying to get it to focus. He didn't need railings to help him climb a measly five floors.

"You're going to pass out in the stairway and drown in your own vomit if I don't make sure you get back to your apartment."

"Better that way, I wouldn't have to deal with the fucking world." How many floors was that? One? Damn, he was so tired.

"Is… is there a reason for you to be so pessimistic all the time? I mean, I'm the first to admit the world isn't a field of daisies, but... the world's not that bad."

Sasuke realized that on some level, she was right, not that he'd admit it out loud. "Keep talking. I might actually make it back to my apartment without falling asleep."

"You… you don't like me very much, do you?"

Why did that question sound so familiar?

"Not really," Sasuke answered, using one hand to feel for the wall. Three more floors to go… Could his room be any higher? Maybe he should've taken the elevator.

"Why not? You don't even know me." Which, when Sasuke thought about it, was really true. But then again, Sasuke's never been good with people. He liked his mean, hostile exterior, thank you very much.

"Though, I'm not a very interesting person. But I haven't… done anything to make you not like me. You're not very friendly either, and that makes it… difficult... to talk to you… But somehow, though that is uniquely you, I know there's a gentle side of you. Maybe... you don't realize it, but it comes through, if rarely."

"Now that isn't right; I'm supposed to be mean and snarky at all times," Sasuke snapped, learning against the wall, eyes screwed completely shut. "… I hate this."

"I... I don't think anyone... likes being drunk," Hinata quietly remarked. She smiled taking his arm and led him up the stairs. And Sasuke found that he didn't really mind her doing this.

End part 02


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: A few people mentioned Hinata's sudden change of character in the last chapter. I probably should've made it clear that she at least consumed a little alcohol. And anon reviewer, Angst, mentioned how she saw Hinata as someone who would be scared of Sasuke. I didn't see a reason behind it, because though Sasuke is intimidating I don't think she would fear him._

_And here we reach the end of my oneshot. Thank you all very much for all the reviews. I hope you enjoy the last part.  
_

* * *

**Snapshot Moment  
Part 03/03  
By: Naito Kiseki**

It had all been but three days since the drinking incident, and after sporting a rather painful headache for most of Saturday, and reluctantly dragging his carcass out of bed on Sunday for food, Sasuke was fine if not dandy to go back to work on Monday. Being at home was almost suffocating because left to his own devices, Sasuke thought a lot. His thinking more often than not for the past week or so has revolved around his dislike for a particular blond and the existence of said person's girlfriend. Obviously it was not jealousy, because as Sasuke said before, he did not get jealous.

Regardless, thinking was bad, and lead to ideas and emotions that he'd rather not acknowledge that apparently exists in his bitter and twisted soul. Random train of thoughts reminded him of how long ago it was the last time he had just meaningless sex with someone. Of course, his abhorrence for people invading his personal space outweighed the want of engaging in acts of fornication.

The very thought made him curl his lips in distaste. He didn't like people touching him. Ever.

However, a small part of his mind enjoyed arguing with him about this part, and since meeting her, brought up how he wouldn't mind Hinata touching him. But he was not going to go there, because innocent contact in his mind would no doubt lead to something else that was probably not as appreciated on anyone's part.

It was best to bury himself in work. But the moment he got to his desk, a folder was already waiting on his desk with instructions to write a report on the latest progression of a bull project that Sasuke could care less for.

Sasuke was unfortuntely unable to concentrate on his report.

Ceasing his typing the report for that stupid bastard boss of his, Sasuke glared at the flat screen monitor, almost willing it to melt under his scrutiny. His blank walls were the next to subject to his unexplainable mood. He pondered for a moment why his cubical was so plain. It was a little sad, and so impersonal. Then again, it was almost a perfect reflection of how Sasuke felt about having to come into the firm every day.

"You should decorate." Sasuke swiveled around and glared into the face of the bushy hair blonde woman, who shrugged before walking away. "Just a thought."

Sasuke snorted. The brunet had not been working there for the last two years for the sake of decorating. To be completely honest, he hadn't thought he would be working there for that long. In his mind, the job started as a temporary access to money. Had his life become so meaningless that it revolved only around work and sleep?

That was almost pathetic. What was the point in living if that was all he was going to do with his life; it made no difference if he killed himself right then and there.

When Sasuke thought about it, he was a little... pensive.

"Sasuke, where is that report I asked for yesterday," his dear boss came up to him and asked, looking over the brunet very critically. The man did not ask for it yesterday, he asked for it a bleeding hour ago, and Sasuke was currently typing it. "It is imperative that I get it by noon."

Sasuke bit back the "Fuck you" that threatened to fire him and grimaced what he hope was a smile. By the displeased look on his superior's face, he probably failed. Breathing evenly, he decided that all he needed to do was please the jerk and not get himself fired. "Well, _sir_, you didn't tell me about it until an hour ago, and I'm typing it as quickly as I can."

"I told you about several days ago."

Sasuke glared at his monitor and gritted, "I'm sorry I misheard the date."

Because the jackass was lying.

"Sasuke, I understand how difficult your job may be, my firm would be lost without you." But the only thing that Sasuke thought was that his boss was a patronizing bastard. "But in order for this company to run well, we all must understand each other. Now, if you don't pay attention, it would raise inefficiencies to the firm, and that can be detrimental to the employers, employees, and investors. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

_Detrimental to _you_ maybe, so you have one million less in your fucking pocket, slimy asshole_, Sasuke thought venomously.

"Yes, _sir_."

"Good. I'll be back for that report."

Life was depressing. Sasuke's life was depressing. He should've had a life of some sort, even a hobby, but just doing work for a job he didn't like and locking himself at home was, even he had to admit, a little sad.

A ring jolted him from glaring a hole through his LCD monitor. Sighing inwardly, he plucked the phone from the its cradle and answered driedly, "Eric Christianson's office."

Hesitantly speaking, a familiar voice echoed through the wires, "Erm... Hello, I'm looking for Sasuke Uchiha?"

Registering owned the voice, Sasuke almost wanted to hang up because he had a few more lines to finish on the report. Not that he was in any hurry, but he wasn't one to half-ass his work. And she... she had a future didn't she, if not, at least she was doing something she enjoyed.

"Speaking."

"Oh! This... this is Hinata... Uhm... how are you feeling?"

Leaning against the backrest of his chair, Sasuke glanced over the wall of his cubicle and shrugged, even though she couldn't see him.

"If you're talking about Friday, trust me, I'm over it. Nothing ibuprofen and coffee couldn't fix." Besides, it was a little late to be asking considering that it was Monday, dumb wench.

"That's good..."

Picking a pen from his pen cup and twirling it around his thumb, Sasuke's mouth quirked at the distraction, even if it _was_ a waste of time that he could use to finish the report, the interruption was more than welcomed. "What did you want?"

"Uhm... well, I just... well... we missed dinner... the other day."

"Yeah. So?"

He thought he could hear her fidget over the phone. "I'm... are you... free tomorrow evening?"

"No."

"I see. That's fine... a few of the other student aides suggested... we go out to celebrate anyway... I just thought that... we could've... gone to an... early dinner before. But that's okay too..."

"I'm glad. Maybe we can reschedule some other time."

"Oh... well, that's... that's okay." And Sasuke found that the sincerity in her voice made him uncomfortable. She actually meant what she said, when she sighed into the phone. He wasn't sure why, but he thought surely that he was not supposed to be affected by her. "I-I mean... don't think I'll have... have time. I'm leaving the... the day after..."

"I see... well then, perhaps I'll see you again someday." Sasuke's voice sounded hallow and distant even to himself. The man found that didn't really want to hang up on her, despite his vendetta against the phone, and couldn't help but think he just botched everything.

"We probably will." A pause. "Is... is there something you want to say to me, Sasuke?"

The brunet didn't know why, but his heart quickened its pace. However, there was really nothing left to say. Nothing that he could admit to himself let alone her. "No. Tell Naruto I said hello."

He heard her laugh. It was probably the first time he'd heard that. She sounded slightly hysterical, and it sounded almost... forced? But that couldn't be it; she wouldn't need to force something like that.

"I will. Maybe... you can visit me... in Japan, that is... the next time we meet."

"Yeah, maybe I will."

Sasuke knew that was a lie. He would never go to Japan just to see her. That would be an utter waste of a plane ticket and a few hundred dollars. Besides, she was just someone whom he knew as an acquaintance. She didn't matter to him. She didn't affect his life. Sasuke would never allow a woman to affect his life. Never mind the fact that he called her without realizing it. Never mind that she was on his mind once every ten minutes.

"Good... goodbye, Sasuke."

"Bye…" He most certainly did not feel guilty, even though she was in a figurative way walking away from him. Not that he wanted anything from her to begin with... he didn't need anything from her.

Even a week later, he didn't acknowledge the sudden emptiness in his life, neither did he question why it suddenly felt so much quieter at work and home. It took a month to ponder that in the two weeks he knew her that he got used to her interruptions in his life. It took another month for Sasuke to deduce why he even cared. But he was Sasuke Uchiha, and he resolved that as long as he concentrated on his own life, he would forget anything that happened during those two weeks, and the reason he cared.

One month turned to two, which in turn became four. Four became eight, and suddenly, a year and a half went by, and not once did he touch the phone to call her.

And then, early one morning, the phone rang.

-:-:-

It was 4:30 in the morning when Sasuke's phone's shrill ring came to life. He knew it was 4:30 because that was what the bright green lights on his alarm clock read. Calls at this time of the night just meant trouble, but if his brother had mysteriously died, Sasuke still wanted to know. Besides, he was much too asleep to really do anything about being angry... for the most part anyway.

The man blindly groped for the cordless he knew was supposed to be next to the bed, or by his bed, somewhere. It seemed an eternity before he felt the cool plastic of his phone in his hand. Mostly guessing which was the 'talk' button, Sasuke rested the phone against his face as he felt himself drifting to sleep again.

"Four thirty in the fucking morning," he growled sleepily, his mouth on autopilot. "What?"

"I'm getting married," Naruto's voice announced in his ear, and Sasuke deemed that he's heard enough.

"Call me when I'm awake enough to care," the brunet grumbled before hanging up, throwing the phone against the wall, hoping that he broke it. Blasted thing never brought good news.

-:-:-

Not only did Sasuke not have a completely pleasant return to Japan on the plane, but his mother insisted on his staying at home, and jet lag caused him to be a little late to Naruto's wedding. Of course, Sasuke hadn't really wanted to be there in the first place, but it _was_ a wedding, and... well, as much as he loathed to admit, he wanted to see the groom and bride happy.

So he quietly entered the church and sat at the pews in the back, feeling miserable for himself, trying to make himself seem as inconspicuous as possible which really wasn't that difficult. Watching the bride in her white dress depressed him a little, almost as if he lost something himself. But it wasn't like there was anything he could do about it. Hinata and Naruto looked the picture of a happy couple on the alter, at least from the back.

The soft squeaking of the side door opened, and Sasuke didn't feel bad because he wasn't the last person to arrive.

Looking to see who it was, the brunet raised an eyebrow seeing the woman he expected to stand at the alter quietly sitting not far from him, and definitely not in white if the navy dress and khaki jacket was any indication. This was certainly interesting, last he heard, Naruto and his girlfri-- well, Hinata were still together.

He slid on the pew closer to the woman, the movement caused her to tear her eyes from the alter to him. She looked surprised, but regained her composure and gave him a small if slightly wary smile before training her eyes to the happy couple, a digital camera swinging on her wrist.

Strangely enough, he felt a little relieved. Unable to help himself, a small twitch, half smile made its way to his lips before he too watched the proceedings. They could talk afterwards.

-:-:-

"What happened?" Sasuke asked gesturing to the empty alter but still maintaining his cool attitude. He wasn't dying to find out, not really, and if he was he wasn't about to let her know any time soon.

"Well, there was... a wedding," the woman explained, tucking her camera into her pocket, a smile on her face. "I have pictures... if you want to see."

That wasn't what Sasuke meant, and Hinata knew it. Though she was humoring him, it seemed she decided to give him an answer, "Things change; people... people change."

"When?"

"When... After... I came back from the U.S.," she told him, standing to leave. The reception was waiting in another hour or so, and it Hinata was supposed to take pictures, which also meant that she had to get there before other people did.

"Why?"

She blinked at him, and shrugged almost carelessly as she moved toward the empty exit. "My business."

"So you're not," Sasuke couldn't even believe he was asking the questions. He wasn't supposed to care, and he didn't care. This felt like that stupid phone call incident from so very long ago that was supposed to be dead and buried in his memories forever. Standing and following the dark haired woman, Sasuke managed, "Not in a relationship with Naruto anymore?"

Chuckling, Hinata withdrew her camera and dangled it in front of him, "Would you like to see who's wedding we just attended?" That wasn't his question, he wondered if she realized that. But then, she gave him this look and met him halfway, "Naruto and TenTen's lucky; I unfortunately haven't found that special guy yet."

"Good," Sasuke muttered, sounding childish and spiteful. Of course, he hadn't meant to say that aloud, it just.. sort of slipped. Coughing into his hand, he added, "You're miserable."

Her eyes widened slightly, before her mouth twitched to a small half-frown, and almost shying smile. "I'm not; I'm... content. Are you miserable?"

Ignoring her question, Sasuke fell into step besides her as they entered the parking lot, "You don't stutter anymore,"

"Work doesn't allow me to stutter," she said training her eyes forward. They both fell silent just walking through the mostly empty parking lot. She finally stopped at a beige Toyota and looked at him with this look again. "Do you... need a ride?"

"Brought a bike," he told her, nodding to his motorcycle parked not too far from her car. Once again, the two were standing at crossroads, they probably wouldn't see each other after this again. "I'll see you around."

Hinata was still giving him that look, and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it meant. Then she echoed a question that he seem to recall her asking before, "Is... is there something you want to tell me, Sasuke?"

Blinking, Sasuke wondered what she meant by that, even that first time. He was almost tempted to say something but shook his head, casually remarking, "No."

There was a moment were they both stared at each other, and Sasuke couldn't tell what the woman was thinking at all, not that he could really sort through his own thoughts. She had that look in her eyes again. To say that he was surprised when Hinata pulled him down by the collar and just barely touched his lips with hers was a dramatic understatement.

"Erm... I-I-I didn't do that," she defended blushing wildly as she unlocked her car and moved to start the engine, leaving Sasuke's mind still blank.

Sasuke stared at her through the windows in the driver's seat. He probably should've moved because she was going to back up and out, she was going to hit him indefinitely. But he was still shocked not because he hadn't kissed a person of the female species for over a year, nor had sex for even longer (he chose that, it wasn't as if he couldn't have done those two things if he wanted), but because it was Hinata.

And she was going to leave for something as insignificant as a wedding reception right after a light brush?

Sasuke stomped to the side of her car and knocked on the window, the woman staring at him wide-eyed, face a disturbing shade of crimson, but Sasuke couldn't be bothered with trivial details. The window rolled down and he blurted before he could even think, "What the fuck was that?"

"I'm s-sorry. I'm-- I'm really, really, really, s-s-s-sorry," Hinata muttered bowing her head, sounding distressed and sick, "I w-w-wasn't thinking."

"That wasn't even a kiss," Sasuke stated, leaning close to her, but she kept her eyes trained to the front. "Look at me."

It took a long moment, but she turned to face him, and she looked sick. Sasuke didn't really care.

Tilting her chin up, he kissed her, slowly, deeply, savoring it, and not because it has been a long time, but because, he wanted to. His tongue ran along her lip and she gasped, but that moment was all Sasuke needed to gain full access to her mouth, his hand caressing her neck. They were like that for a minute, maybe two, Hinata didn't really know, and neither did Sasuke. Time didn't seem to exist.

When he finally pulled away from her, he said, "That... was a kiss."

"Uhm," she stuttered staring at him through half-lidded eyes. Sasuke realized that he was still close enough to kiss her again... if he wanted to. "Uhm... that was... uhm..."

"A kiss," he finished for her simply. "I'll see you at the reception."

Turning he sauntered towards his motorcycle, a small smirk on his face, confidence with every step.

"W-wait! Sasuke!"

Schooling his face to a calm, almost cocky smirk he turned to see what the woman wanted, only to see her standing next to her car, a camera covering her face. He blinked. She grinned, a blush still evident on her face.

"T-thank you," she bowed and then returned to her car, and backed up and out of the parking lot.

Sasuke stared after the car, his hand pulling his wallet from his pocket and withdrawing a worn business card. Looking over the phone number that she gave him so long ago, Sasuke smirked and set his helmet before straddling his motorcycle.

-:-:-

Still in Japan days later, Sasuke recieved a flat package at home, the name on the return address said Hyuuga Hinata. Tearing the packaging tape from the stiff cardboard envelope, he withdrew an 8 x 10 photograph. Staring, he recognized the suit he wore to Naruto's wedding, the smug smirk on his lips, his coat whipping about, some hair over his eyes, his face holding an expression not mysterious or angry, but almost michievous.

A letter floated to the carpeted floor, and Sasuke picked it up.

_I got your address from Naruto, hopefully, this will reach you before you return to the States.  
A quick message: a picture may be worth a thousand words, but a moment is worth more._

_--Hinata_

He looked at the return address, and after much debate, picked up the phone.

_Hello. You have reached Hyuuga Hinata. I'm unable to answer the phone right now, please leave a message and contact information and I shall get back to you as soon as I can._

"... This is Sasuke... I'm not going back to America for a few days; are you free some time for dinner?"

**-owari-**


End file.
